University Jaume I, Castellon, Spain

Some see popcorn and milk. Others see mycotoxins and mega-contaminants.

At the University Jaume I in Castellon, Spain, you’ll find the Research Institute of Pesticides and Water. Scientists here, including Prof. Juan-Vincente Sancho, focus on identifying contaminants in the environment and in food.

The laboratory scientists were asked to analyze popcorn for mycotoxins. Using two new ACQUITY UPLC Systems coupled to two Waters mass spectrometers, they quickly located the mycotoxins. Best of all, the results confirmed there was no reason to panic. The mycotoxins were well below regulated levels. Waters equipment allowed them to work much faster as well as detect compounds at the lowest levels.

In the future, a much more daunting challenge awaits these scientists – identifying the dangerous mega-contaminants sometimes found in food today. Unregulated, these are the compounds nobody knows to search for. The scientists at the University Jaume I hope that by using the latest advances, like Waters ACQUITY UPLC/MS/MS systems, they can find unexpected contaminants and help protect us while we're enjoying treats like popcorn.

See how this research team approaches the challenges of food and environmental safety with analytical science.